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skybytch 259
Four kids under 7 and two adults in a motor home? Sounds like a recipe for insanity to me.
A coach rating ain't near enough - especially at a small dz you need to be able to do everything and anything if you hope to feed those kids more than Top Ramen.
Don't do it - or at least don't do it until one or both of you have AFF and/or tandem ratings, camera flying skills and a rigger's ticket, and your kids are all old enough to fend for themselves when needed.
Because of skydiving, my son went to one school for preschool and kindergarten, another for 1st, 2nd and part of 3rd, another for the rest of 3rd through 5th, two different schools for 6th, another school for 7th, another school for 8th... and then I promised him we wouldn't move again so he could graduate from the same high school he started at. The moving around affected his schoolwork and often his attitude negatively. Moving around is a lot harder on kids than it is on their parents...
edit to add: Oh yeah. Kids hate it when they can't have something they want or need because you can't afford it, and what they want or need becomes more expensive as they grow older. Very few full time skydivers make more than $30k a year.
A coach rating ain't near enough - especially at a small dz you need to be able to do everything and anything if you hope to feed those kids more than Top Ramen.
Don't do it - or at least don't do it until one or both of you have AFF and/or tandem ratings, camera flying skills and a rigger's ticket, and your kids are all old enough to fend for themselves when needed.
Because of skydiving, my son went to one school for preschool and kindergarten, another for 1st, 2nd and part of 3rd, another for the rest of 3rd through 5th, two different schools for 6th, another school for 7th, another school for 8th... and then I promised him we wouldn't move again so he could graduate from the same high school he started at. The moving around affected his schoolwork and often his attitude negatively. Moving around is a lot harder on kids than it is on their parents...
edit to add: Oh yeah. Kids hate it when they can't have something they want or need because you can't afford it, and what they want or need becomes more expensive as they grow older. Very few full time skydivers make more than $30k a year.
I have a question for anyone considering skydiving as a career who now has another day job. I don't have SkyBytch's perspective, but:
Would you enjoy it as much if you had it as your full-time job? I'm not on the job when I jump.
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Would you enjoy it as much if you had it as your full-time job? I'm not on the job when I jump.
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I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.
Harry, FB #4143
Harry, FB #4143
mark135 0
It may be a great life for you but I think it would suck for the kids. What about school? You cant yank them out and put em in a new school every couple months. they need some stability. Imagine the teasing. It would be worse than a "trailer park kid"
My wife and I have 4 boys. 2 just out of school and 2 more to go. We have all the ratings we need to make a living at this and have made calls and came to the point of actually making that final decision.
We decided to wait until we are "empty nesters" (thank god we had our kids really young!) Although the one 14 year old does kinda take a shining to moving to s. cal. after I explained the whole beach thing!
My wife and I have 4 boys. 2 just out of school and 2 more to go. We have all the ratings we need to make a living at this and have made calls and came to the point of actually making that final decision.
We decided to wait until we are "empty nesters" (thank god we had our kids really young!) Although the one 14 year old does kinda take a shining to moving to s. cal. after I explained the whole beach thing!
_______________
"It seemed like a good idea at the time"
"It seemed like a good idea at the time"
Iflyme 0
Ditto ... but work is what you make it, wherever and whatever you do. The key is to work at something you love. Be happy in your job. I used to wear a jacket and tie ... now I wear jeans. I used to sell tvs and stereos ... now I produce tv news. It's way more fun!QuoteI think I might feel the same way you do, though, if I had to wear a suit and be nice to customers.
Good luck in making skydiving your career!
sducoach 0
He is an extremely talented young guy (this comes from a 50 year old fart) who is working with some of the best in the sport. And he's WORKED at it. He may be short in the sport year wise, but he's years ahead of most in experience and "true" time in sport.
Keep your head down!!!!!
Blues,
J.E.
James 4:8
zonie 0
Quotehahah haven't you seen the movie cutaway lol
blue's
Ha ha, yep I have, about 10 times now, and itll get you 10-20. Or you can just pull your cutaway handle without worrying about the reserve.
Its debatable why "Redline" pulled the cutaway and committed suicide, but I think as a careful watcher, he did it in the interests of the team. With "Redline" dead, there are no charges to be filed and no implication to the team that just won the gold medal, so the team goes on. "Redline" was beaten in the speed star race in the end, so he wanted the other guy to take over since he was the fastest.
What I dont like about it is that it tries to give a "feel" for what skydiving is, and nobody can get the feel for what skydiving is unless they jump. Then and only then do you know what skydiving feels like. To me, it feels pretty fucking radical, and extremely serious. This isnt one of those sports that give you the opportunity to bullshit until youre safe on the ground.
zonie 0
QuoteQuoteMy DZ is short of videographers
That's surprising!!! My DZ must have at least 1/2 dozen regular tandem videographers with several more trying to break into the business (not counting all us crazy freefliers who jump camera as well). I'm still 2 years away and 270 jumps away from being able to fly tandems, but that's something I could see myself doing down the road (as well as being a videographer). I understand the need to become a rigger, but I'm not sure I'm the right sort of person to do such a job. But I am detailed oriented with my software development career (which I'm ignoring at the moment). So maybe I could become a rigger? I don't need the money made from packing in order to jump. But lately I have been thinking that maybe I should become a part-time packer as it could always come in handy if I was to find myself cutaway from my whuffo computer career and living on a DZ. And like riggerrob, I am also a licensed pilot and could pursue that aspect of the business if I was to become commercially rated. If only I had my three years in the sport and 500+ jumps, then I'd be tempted to cutaway now.
There is no point in cutting away, you have all the opportunity to compromise your job with life at the dropzone. When the compromise stops working, then you give them the ol' flip off and spend more time at the DZ while youre casually looking for something else.
See, the difference between you, and the career oriented dumbass (COD) is that you have a life well beyond work, the COD doesnt, so he always has to take shit and suck up to keep his life. But as for you, well, either way, you win.
SkySlut 0
well, I guess we shouldnt forget attribute 6 which is you should be extremely motivated...that helps too...
Thanks for all of the great insight & advice! What ya'll addressed are some of the same concerns for us. Both my husband& I had the advantage of staying in the same schools from kindergarten thru graduation. I am really up a wall on my feelings on this. Up until skydiving & becoming part of a "dz family" school stabilty was extremely important too me. Now I find myself seriously asking if it would be that big of a deal. We have also discussed homeschooling. MY father in law is close to retiement & has been an educator for many years. He already offered to help. We have asked several long timers at our dz what their opinion was and they were mostly supportive of the idea and thought it would have been awesome if they could have grown up at a dz. This is clearly becoming a big inner turmoil for me, my kids are clearly my first priority in life, but skydiving is so addictive...
oh what to do...
skybytch 259
QuoteWe have also discussed homeschooling.
That might be workable; I was assuming traditional schooling.
It would be pretty cool for kids to get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. I know several jumpers who grew up on dz's and are now successful skydiving related business owners.
I just wonder about your sanity after a month or so of living in a motorhome with 5 other people.
riggerrob 558
Try living with your kids in the motorhome for a summer. If you have not driven each other batty by the end of the summer, then you still have the option of re-enrolling them in their old school come September.
Traditional schools are not all they are cracked up to be. Some kids thrive in traditional schools while others are stiffled. The same bullies made me miserable all the way through elementary and high school. It would have been nice to dump those ***holes by changing towns.
Also consider that I learned far more travelling than I ever did in school or university. Reading about historic sites is one thing, but it never conveys the depth or breadth that you gain by walking around old battlefields or touring castles. Also it is difficult to appreciate what Columbus and crew went through until you have spent a few weeks at sea. It also takes a few months to appreciate the climatic, cultural and economic differences between New England and California. You will only appreciate those differences after you have lived in each region for a season.
Visiting other countries and cultures may also give your kids a better appreciation for their home town. I know that when I returned from living in Europe, I gained a greater respect for how easy life is in Canada.
Maybe a good compromise is taking your silk-screening business on the boogie circuit during summers and spending winters in your home town, or at least until you can send the kids off to college.
Traditional schools are not all they are cracked up to be. Some kids thrive in traditional schools while others are stiffled. The same bullies made me miserable all the way through elementary and high school. It would have been nice to dump those ***holes by changing towns.
Also consider that I learned far more travelling than I ever did in school or university. Reading about historic sites is one thing, but it never conveys the depth or breadth that you gain by walking around old battlefields or touring castles. Also it is difficult to appreciate what Columbus and crew went through until you have spent a few weeks at sea. It also takes a few months to appreciate the climatic, cultural and economic differences between New England and California. You will only appreciate those differences after you have lived in each region for a season.
Visiting other countries and cultures may also give your kids a better appreciation for their home town. I know that when I returned from living in Europe, I gained a greater respect for how easy life is in Canada.
Maybe a good compromise is taking your silk-screening business on the boogie circuit during summers and spending winters in your home town, or at least until you can send the kids off to college.
Amazon 7
Someone suggested hitting the Boogie circuit with the silk screening business. That sounds like a good option actually skydivers always need more logo T-shirts
. You could also get a largish self contained trailer, they have lots of storage to take the other stuff with you and the extra beds could constitute the childrens bedroom. A bike rack on the back of the trailer could carry bicycles for some transportation when you get to dropzones and a small scooter rack on the front of the motorhome would give motorized transportation to get into town. Parking a class A motorhome with a trailer on it is a BITCH. but all and all it sounds like it could be fun for the summers at least. And the children will get to see our country... in person rather in books. Make it a point to take them to historical sites.
Amazon
rhino 0
Bytch rocks!!!!
I wonder what my child support payment would be as a full time skydiver? 3$ a week!!
Yeagh baby!! YEagh!! lol
Rhino
I wonder what my child support payment would be as a full time skydiver? 3$ a week!!
Yeagh baby!! YEagh!! lol
Rhino
Eiley 0
My partner, Paul, and I put our lives on hold last year - I deferred my last year at uni and the start of an awesome job - to travel from Australia to the USA to be skydive bums.
I manifested at Hinckley and Paul packed. We lived in the DZ bunkhouse. We made more than enough money to live and play with, bought awesome new gear and met some of the most fantastic, awesome people we have EVER known. Our colleagues came from all around the world and the Hinckley regulars embraced us as two of their own. At the end of the season we spent 6 weeks travelling and staying on different DZs around the country and met even more awesome people.
Unfortunately our adventure ended badly - Paul was killed in an accident at Lake Wales 2 weeks before we were due to return to Australia. ![[:/]](/uploads/emoticons/dry.png "[:/]"){kind=small}
But if I could do it all again I most definetly would!
Actually, I started this post off wrong - we didn't put our lives on hold for a year - we really LIVED for a year!
Don't put it off for a "more convenient" time - do it NOW.
Eiley
nothing to see here
rest your precious soul.
Eiley,
Thanks for coming and being with us last year. We all enjoyed your company and would welcome you back any time. The Hinckley otter now has polkadots on the tail, just like the Porter.
I'm so sorry for our loss (I know Paul packed some of my jumps). Perhaps we'll meet again.
Harry Higbie
Thanks for coming and being with us last year. We all enjoyed your company and would welcome you back any time. The Hinckley otter now has polkadots on the tail, just like the Porter.
I'm so sorry for our loss (I know Paul packed some of my jumps). Perhaps we'll meet again.
Harry Higbie
I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.
Harry, FB #4143
Harry, FB #4143
Eiley 0
Thank you Harry.
KC sent me some photos of the Otter's new paint job. The planes at CSC are now about as funky as you can get - love it!
I and a couple of friends are going to make it to Rantoul in 2004, so we'll definitely catch up then. I totally plan to plonk myself in the middle of Camp Skyclod!
Cheers
Eiley
nothing to see here
QuoteAlong with everyone else's advice...I will give you this.
In order to make it you need at least one or more of these values:
1) Be extremely motivated-enough to live in a tent and eat pasta everyday for a year or more.
2) Be extremely talented-if you arent, get coaching to get your skills up to par.
3) Be independantly wealthy-be ready to deplete that to support yourself for a while.
4) Date or marry someone who is wealthy or can at least pay the bills and is EXTREMELY understanding and supportive. (I am not going to give tips on how to get that attribute)
5) Be Lucky-Be in the right place at the right time and grab those opportunities once they present themselves.
which was most like your situation if i could ask?
QuoteI did my first AFF jump July 1st 2000. I started getting paid to coach about the same time a year later, got my AFF rating January 2002. I have worked in gear stores/manifest, etc. I have been a fulltime skydiver for almost 2 years now.
very impressive! congrats. i am in AFF now and your situation is inspiring!
SkySlut 0
well...I have been fortunate enough to have them all at one point or another, I guess.
-I started out with lots of money...so I was able to get some quality coaching. SDU w/ Pete Allum.(see #3)
-Then I quit my job...so then I was eating pasta for a year or so and I am still doing so on occasion because I have learned to like it so much. -I was in the right place at the right time to get jobs at DZs (manifest, selling gear, Instructor positions) and with being at the DZ all the time, people take notice and help you out with getting your ratings (ie. coaching you for slot cost or doing video for slot to get ratings and all around support and advice, etc.)(See #5)
-Then I was fortunate enough to meet a great girl who is EXTREMELY supportive of my job. So that helps a lot in the lean times of the season. She jumps on occasion and totally respects and understands what I do.(see #4)
-I think that there is some talent sprinkled in here or there. (see #2)
Its not easy, but extremely satisfying!!! Good luck and PM me if you have any other questions.
thanks for the info. really...
i am working in that direction i think after i finish out a few more things on the life list!
Thankfully, I have "the bottomless cup" that is a lifetime pension. Also great is the fact that I own a house on the far side of town with an 840 square foot shop that serves as my personal storage unit, while I rent the house to a married couple. I live fine out of a 30-foot RV, but I had to put a lot of stuff that I previously thought was important into storage. It's comfy and plenty roomy, but I don't need much to get by. No guests in this unit, but I also have another 23 foot RV five spaces down that I use as a " guest house."
Man, I don't see how a family of six could deal with life on the road, following the sun, but what do I know. There are plenty of opportunities to make money as a family in the skydiving industry, but it takes total devotion to the sport and it's surroundings, as a unit. Think Gypsy. Think spartan existence. Think moving kids from school to school if you follow the sun (and the money).
What works fine for me may or may not work for you. I wish you luck regardless of your decision.
Edited to add that I have every skydiving rating I need to make a living. Having a coach rating will not get a person anywhere. The packers at my dropzone make more money than any of our other employees; no lie.
Chuck Blue
-living the full-time DZ dream
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